H4132 H4132
A pole or bar for carrying; tottering or slipping (abstract); the bar of a yoke, figuratively of oppression
Used concretely of the poles or bars on which heavy objects were transported -- most memorably the massive grape cluster carried back from Eshcol on a pole between two men (Num 13:23). In the Psalms it takes on an abstract sense of tottering or slipping, always negated to affirm God's steadfast protection: He will not let the righteous be shaken (Ps 55:23; 66:9; 121:3). In Nahum 1:13 the word narrows to the crossbar of a yoke, a vivid figure for foreign oppression that God promises to shatter.
Senses
1. pole, carrying bar — A carrying-pole or bar, the kind slung between two bearers for transporting heavy loads. Numbers 13:23 pictures the Eshcol grape cluster borne on such a pole. Spanish 'pértiga/vara' and English 'carrying-frame' both capture the concrete equipment sense used in the wilderness tabernacle instructions (Num 4:10, 12). 3×
AR["الْعَتَلَةِ","بِ-الْعَصَا"]·ben["-বাঁশে","বাঁশ"]·DE["auf-der-pole","der-carrying-frame"]·EN["on-the-pole","the-carrying-frame"]·FR["le-portant-frame","sur-le-pole"]·heb["ב-ה-במוט","ה-מוט"]·HI["डंडे","डंडे-पर"]·ID["dengan-galah","usungan"]·IT["il-carrying-frame","su-il-pole"]·jav["ing-pikulan","tongkat-pikul"]·KO["그-막대","막대기-에"]·PT["a-vara","na-vara"]·RU["на-шесте","носилки"]·ES["en-la-vara","la-pértiga"]·SW["kwa-mti","mti-wa-kubebea"]·TR["-de-sırık","direğin-"]·urd["ڈنڈے-پر","ڈنڈے-کے"]
2. tottering, slipping (abstract noun) — The abstract noun of tottering, stumbling, or slipping -- always used with a negation to express divine security. In Psalm 66:9 God 'has not given our feet to slipping,' and Psalm 121:3 promises He will not let your foot be moved. Spanish 'tambaleo' (staggering) and Hindi 'dagmagaane' (wavering) reflect the kinesthetic imagery of unsteady footing that the psalmists deny of those whom God protects. 2×
AR["لِ-للزَّلَلِ","لِلزَّلَل"]·ben["টলতে-","নড়তে"]·DE["zu-slip"]·EN["to-slip"]·FR["à-barre"]·heb["ל-מוט"]·HI["-डगमगाने","डगमगाने-को"]·ID["tergelincir","untuk-goyah"]·IT["dal-vacillare"]·jav["dhateng-goyah","kanggo-gloyoran"]·KO["흔들리게","흔들림-에"]·PT["ao-vacilar","que-vacilar"]·RU["поколебаться"]·ES["al-tambaleo"]·SW["kutikisika","kwa-kuteleza"]·TR["kaymaya","kaymaya-"]·urd["لِ-ڈگمگانے","ڈگمگانے"]
3. yoke (instrument of subjection) — The crossbar of a yoke, used figuratively for political or imperial subjection. Nahum 1:13 declares God will break 'his yoke-bar from upon you,' promising liberation from Assyrian domination. The multilingual evidence converges: Spanish 'yugo suyo,' Hindi 'uska juua,' and English 'his yoke' all render the metaphor of bondage being snapped. 1×
AR["نِيرَهُ"]·ben["তার-জোয়াল"]·DE["[מטהו]"]·EN["his-yoke"]·FR["verrou"]·heb["מוטהו"]·HI["उसका-जूआ"]·ID["tongkatnya"]·IT["[מטהו]"]·jav["pasanganipun"]·KO["그의-멍에-를"]·PT["o-seu-jugo"]·RU["ярмо-его"]·ES["yugo-suyo"]·SW["nira-yake"]·TR["boyunduruğunu-onun"]·urd["اُس-کا-جوا"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† מוֹט n.[m.] shaking, pole, bar of yoke;—abs. מ׳ Nu 4:10 + 5 times; sf. מֹטֵ֫הוּ Na 1:13;— 1. a shaking, tottering (c. neg., of security) לֹא־יִתֵּן מ׳ לַצַּדִּיק ψ 55:23; לֹא נָתַן לַמּ׳ רַגְלֵנוּ ψ 66:9, cf. 121:3. 2. pole, or bar for carrying (named from springing motion) Nu 4:10, 12 cf. especially 13:23. 3. bar of yoke Na 1:13 (אֶשְׁבֹּר מֹטֵהוּ מֵעָלַיִךְ), fig. of oppression. Cf. following.